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18 March 2011

Nourishing play

Big owlet had her bestest friend over again the other day. They love each other dearly, "like long lost twin sisters", big owlet tells me. It truly is a delight to watch them play. It seems to nourish them both. Little owlet has grown up lots since they first met - big owlet was little owlet's age at their first meeting. She joins in with their play these days, but they still need lots of time together, just the two of them. I get it, sometimes I like to spend time with just one friend, or Huz, without others around. So on these playdays, I make sure that I give them lots of space, but also keep the day flowing peacefully. The other day, little owlet and I had gone out for an hour in the morning while the bigger girls played, then came home to a house full of craft and dress-ups... Little owlet wanted to join in right away and the bigger girls obliged, but quickly wanted their space back. The room felt stale. I detected an element of whinge little owlet's voice. Ugh. This required quick thinking. So, following little owlet's love of cooking, I baked a cake with her. Chocolate of course. With chocolate icing. I made sure to make the cake with Rapadura, so the afternoon didn't evolve into a spiralling chaotic sugar explosion... I plonked the cake on the table with a jar full of different kinds of sprinkles and suggested they all decorate together. They did. Peacefully, democratically and creatively. They wandered out to the garden to add edible treasures to their creation... Then set up a faerie tea party under a tree to eat the cake together. Little owlet was welcomed into the game as an equal and peace reigned for the remainder of the afternoon. Perhaps it was the introduction of a creative project at just the right time. Perhaps it was because it was food - the great connector. Maybe they were just hungry. I've found changing the mood with food and creativity works so often when things turn sour. Fruit kebabs always work, as do icypoles and waterplay, or making food faces.... Anyhow, I'm putting it here so I remember for next time and we can always keep the play fresh and nourishing for all.

3 comments:

Well done for your patience and finding a creative solution. It's the old "two's company three's a crowd" thing. It happens sometimes at our place too when one of my elder two has a visitor. I usually just end up incredibly frustrated, but I will try to remember your post next time.